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The following lists events that happened during 1912 in South Africa.

Incumbents

  • Monarch: King George V.
  • Governor-General and High Commissioner for Southern Africa: The Viscount Gladstone.
  • Prime Minister: Louis Botha.
  • Chief Justice: John de Villiers, 1st Baron de Villiers

Events

;January

  • 1 &ndash; The South African Railways implements the reclassification and renumbering of the rolling stock of its three constituent Colonial railways, the Cape Government Railways, the Natal Government Railways and the Central South African Railways.
  • 4 &ndash; The outbreak of smallpox is reported in the Malay Location, Johannesburg.
  • 8 &ndash; The South African Native National Congress (now ANC) is formed in Bloemfontein and John Langalibalele Dube becomes the first president.
  • 16 &ndash; Cases of smallpox are discovered in Durban.

;February

  • 15 &ndash; The Mkuze Game Reserve is proclaimed a protected area.

;March

  • The shield of the coat of arms on the Red Ensign used in South Africa is redesigned to include a white roundel.

;July

  • 1 &ndash; The Union Defence Forces, comprising a Permanent Force and a Citizen Force, were established.
  • 1 &ndash; Brig Gen Henry Lukin appointed Inspector-General of the Permanent Force.
  • 1 &ndash; Brig Gen Christian Frederick Beyers appointed Commandant-General of the Citizen Force.

;Unknown date

  • The town of Hobhouse is established and named after Emily Hobhouse.

Births

  • 12 March &ndash; John Fairbairn, naval officer, (d. 1984)
  • 18 May &ndash; Walter Sisulu, anti-apartheid activist. (d. 2003)
  • 27 May &ndash; Cedric Phatudi, Chief Minister of Lebowa bantustan (d. 1987)

Deaths

  • 21 May &ndash; Julius Wernher, financier and mine magnate. (b. 1850)

Railways

thumb|[[South African Class ME 2-6-6-2|Class ME 2-6-6-2]]

thumb|[[South African Class MC 2-6-6-0|Class MC 2-6-6-0]]

thumb|[[South African Class 3B 4-8-2|Class 3B 4-8-2]]

thumb|[[South African Class 5 4-6-2|Class 5 4-6-2]]

thumb|[[South African Class 12 4-8-2|Class 12 4-8-2]]

Railway lines opened

  • 7 February &ndash; Free State &ndash; Jammerdrif to Wepener, .
  • 15 April &ndash; Transvaal &ndash; Buhrmannsdrif to Ottoshoop, .
  • Ten Class MC 2-6-6-0 Mallet articulated compound steam locomotives.